Member for Condamine Ray Hopper at his property outside Toowoomba. Picture: Jamie Hanson Source: The Courier-Mail

THE defection of Ray Hopper will be seen as a broader crisis for the Newman Government.

There will be hand-wringing about a looming split between the Liberals and Nationals, and conjecture about a city/bush divide, but Hopper's decision to join Katter's Australian Party is more about his own personal issues than broader problems.

He's been overlooked for ministerial positions and left as a committee chairman without any real influence.

His chances of elevation are remote, given he and Jeff Seeney have not seen eye to eye for years.

In fact he blames Seeney, among others, for disenfranchising old National identities even though the Deputy Premier was elected first and is one of them while Hopper came to Parliament as an Independent.

If Hopper was so disturbed about the LNP's commitment to the bush and coal seam gas policies he should have left years ago, but he defects now, knowing that a lifetime pension is assured.

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